Chapter 12: The Innkeeper, The Sharp-Tongued Queen
At another courtyard residence within the Taiping Inn, a crowd had gathered to watch the commotion, pointing and murmuring among themselves.
Two burly traveling merchants, both sporting thick beards, were furiously berating a young man whose face was bruised and bloodied.
Nearby, a group of goats was tied to a post. Several of them had tears in their eyes, as if pleading for mercy. But all they could do was bleat helplessly.
Zhang San was being lifted off the ground by one of the towering merchants, gripped by the neck like a chick in an eagle’s claw. His lips were split, fresh blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.
The innkeeper stood nearby, her willow-like brows furrowed in fury as she shouted, “Over something this small, and you beat him up like this? Let him go right now!”
One of the merchants remained silent, his eyes cold and gloomy. The other, the one who had done the beating, had a fiery temper and clearly couldn’t be restrained, not even by his companion.
“You damned woman, that mutt dared touch my goats. I didn’t beat him to death, so he should count himself lucky. You best shut your mouth!” the hot-tempered merchant cursed.
But the innkeeper was no weak woman. She fired back without hesitation, “So what if he touched a few goats? You lash them daily without any care. Who’s to say you didn’t steal them to begin with? And now you put on this act like you actually care!”
Her words immediately infuriated the hot-headed, thick-bearded merchant.
“Bitch, you’ve got a death wish!” he snarled and swung a palm toward her.
The innkeeper froze. She hadn’t expected the brute to strike her so suddenly!